We’ll discuss the differences between the 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios below.
What Is an Aspect Ratio?
The aspect ratio is the relationship between an image’s height and width. Aspect ratios are more often written with the width first, followed by the height.
A panoramic image, for example, has a usual aspect ratio of 3:1. This means for every three units of width, there’s one unit of height.
The 16:9 vs. 4:3 Aspect Ratio: A Quick Comparison
Two of the most common aspect ratios are 16:9 and 4:3. These look slightly different but can be used in different ways.
The 16:9 aspect ratio allows for a wider display and has a frame that is 78% wider than it is tall. On the other hand, the 4:3 aspect ratio has a frame that is 33% wider than it is tall.
As you can see in the image comparison below, the main difference between these two aspect ratios is that the 16:9 ratio has a wider display and allows you to showcase more information horizontally.
Meanwhile, the 4:3 aspect ratio shows more information vertically.
The aspect ratio you use will depend on your needs and requirements, but we’ll cover the most common uses in photography and videography below.
Photos
If you use a 4:3 aspect ratio for photos, you can capture more content in your frame. The 4:3 aspect ratio is also compatible with print and most social media websites. However, some social media platforms, such as Instagram, behave differently.
Instagram crops photos to a different aspect ratio for posting on feeds. You won’t be able to post a 4:3 image on your feed without cropping, but you can post a 16:9 image.
On the other hand, if you like to post vertical photos on your Instagram Stories, 9:16 aspect ratio photos are more suited to this. If you add a 3:4 image to your Story, you’ll have matte bars added to the top and bottom of your photo.
Some photographers also recommend shooting photos in 3:2, which is another aspect ratio that is not as tall as the 4:3 ratio. Most popular smartphones like the iPhone have an option to specify the default aspect ratio in the Settings app.
Videos
The best aspect ratio to shoot videos in is 16:9 since most modern displays, such as TVs, tablets, phones, and computer displays have a 16:9 aspect ratio display.
This allows you to display your entire video without cropping the sides to fit in the display, as you would have to do with a 4:3 aspect ratio video. This looks even more amazing when recording a high-angle shot, allowing you to showcase all the landscape below.
This is also the reason most devices record video natively in a 16:9 aspect ratio. 16:9 is also the best for video streaming platforms like YouTube.
Which Aspect Ratio Should You Use?
The proper aspect ratio you use depends on the type of project you’re shooting. As a baseline, we recommend using 4:3 for photos and 16:9 for videos. This is a good common standard, and you can’t go wrong with either of them.
As you gain experience and want to try more artistic photos, we recommend you experiment with different styles of aspect ratios. Doing so can bring a whole new perspective to your content, especially with wide-angle photos and cinematic videos.
A very useful tip is to try to shoot most of your photos in 4:3 and keep some foreground empty in case you need to crop it to a 16:9 ratio for social media. Your videos should be shot in 16:9 unless otherwise needed.
Experiment With Aspect Ratios
Aspect ratios are an integral part of any photo or video, as they can change the way any content is viewed and perceived. Once you get familiar with the basics, try experimenting with different aspect ratios depending on the type of content you create.
For instance, cropping a video to 2:39:1 while editing gives it a nice cinematic look, similar to a movie you’d watch in a cinema. Similarly, depending on the circumstances, you may need to plan to shoot in a specific aspect ratio depending on the social media platform you’re creating content for.
